User-defined nodes

User-defined nodes are the main mechanism for extending the functions of IBM® Integration Bus.

The most common uses for a user-defined node are:
  • Calling an external system for which IBM Integration Bus does not provide nodes
  • Calling already defined program libraries that perform a transformation or calculation that is required in the design of a message flow
  • Packaging a subflow
Before you consider constructing a user-defined node, make sure that no built-in node is available to perform the required actions. For example, you might have considered creating a user-defined node to perform the following tasks, but you can use a JavaCompute node instead:
  • Allowing programming languages other than ESQL to be used for coding message flow functions
  • Performance advantages in performing some actions in compiled code
  • Complex functions that are not available in ESQL, such as the large number of classes provided in JS2E
The following topics describe the different types of user-defined node in more detail: